What is the original Labubu?

Labubu started as a hand-drawn elf in a 2015 picture book and now sits on the shelves of collectors who treat each nine-toothed grin like a rare vinyl. The original version came from Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, who mixed Nordic folklore with his own childhood memories to create a small, pointed-eared troublemaker first sold through How2Work before Pop Mart turned the character into blind-box gold.

The Monsters 10th Anniversary Celebrations

The Monsters picture-book series marks its tenth year in 2025 and 2026 with a traveling exhibition that stops at the Asia Society in Hong Kong and later reaches Paris during fashion week. Original sketches, limited-edition figures, and pop-up shops give longtime fans a chance to see how the 2015 drawings grew into the current plush empire. Collectors line up early, phones out, to document each new display before the next city on the tour opens its doors.

Labubu in the Art World and Awards

Labubu crossed into fine-art territory when a sold-out edition appeared at Art Basel in 2025. That same year the character earned Product of the Year at the Hypebeast100 Awards, an industry nod that placed the elf beside high-fashion sneakers and limited sneakers rather than standard plush toys. Galleries now treat the figurines as sculptural objects, while auction houses watch resale prices climb on the secondary market.

Distinguishing Labubu from Related Characters

Labubu and Zimomo often share the same blind boxes, yet they belong to different corners of the same storybook world. Labubu stands without a tail and carries a cheeky, slightly crooked smile. Zimomo appears as the older brother figure, complete with a tail and a more serious stance. Side-by-side photos on collector forums help new buyers avoid the mix-up that once sent fans home with the wrong vinyl head.

From Niche IP to Screen Rights

Sony Pictures secured screen rights for a Labubu project in late 2025, moving the character from blind boxes to potential feature-length treatment. The deal follows years of sold-out drops and celebrity photos that already function like informal trailers. No release date has been announced, but the acquisition signals that the elf’s story may soon leave the toy aisle for wider distribution.

From folklore to frenzy

Kasing Lung grew up between Hong Kong and the Netherlands, where Nordic myths supplied the raw material for his 2015 trilogy. The first Labubu appeared in print as a helpful woodland sprite who still managed to cause small disasters. Early How2Work prototypes captured the same serrated grin and oversized ears, giving physical form to the page drawings before Pop Mart scaled production worldwide.

The Labubu original charm

The appeal rests on contrast: a creature with sharp teeth who still looks eager to help. That “ugly-cute” tension mirrors the sidekicks in prestige fantasy shows who steal scenes without stealing the plot. Over three hundred variants exist by now, each one keeping the same core expression while swapping outfits or colorways that reward repeat buyers.

Beyond the fluff

Lisa of BLACKPINK carried an oversized Labubu through airports and award shows, turning the plush into a recognizable accessory. The visibility helped Pop Mart post first-half 2025 revenue of roughly 13.88 billion yuan, with The Monsters line accounting for 4.81 billion yuan, or 34.7 percent of the total. The same period saw the character named Product of the Year at the Hypebeast100 Awards, confirming that the 2015 book creation now drives measurable corporate growth.

The man behind the monster

Born in Hong Kong in 1972, Lung absorbed folklore during his Dutch childhood and later settled in Belgium. His sketchbooks show Labubu evolving from quick pencil studies into the final nine-toothed design. The artist still oversees new colorways and collaborations, keeping the original spirit intact even as production numbers climb into the millions.

Market growth and collaborations

First-half 2025 figures showed The Monsters IP generating about 670 million dollars. Full-year projections exceed four billion dollars, supported by continued store expansion outside Asia. The Moynat partnership, which began with a Shanghai chapter in late 2025, continues through a Paris installment scheduled for March 2026. Each drop pairs canvas bags with miniature Labubu, Zimomo, and King Mon charms, moving the characters from toy counters into luxury retail windows.

The mystery and cultural impact

Blind-box odds keep the hunt alive, and 2025 sales topped one hundred million units globally. Collectors trade stories of chase figures the same way fans dissect prestige-series plot twists. The character’s reach now includes Serbia, where local queues mirror the frenzy once reserved for limited sneakers.

Evolution from page to phenomenon

After the 2015 book debut, How2Work produced modest runs that sold mainly in Asia. Pop Mart’s 2019 blind-box program multiplied the audience, and June 2025 brought a record when a 131-centimeter mint-green figure sold for 150,275 dollars at Beijing auction. Moynat chapters that opened in Shanghai extended into 2026, proving the luxury crossover is no longer a single-season story.

Global grip and future fangs

Over one hundred million Labubu units moved in 2025 alone. Pop Mart continues to open stores in Europe and North America while planning further 2026 drops. The same data that once compared the character to Barbie now rests on concrete half-year revenue and unit counts rather than round-number hype.

The cultural clout

Endorsements from Rihanna and Dua Lipa sit alongside Lisa’s early photos, keeping the character visible on red carpets and in street-style feeds. Counterfeit versions appear wherever demand spikes, yet official editions still command premium prices at resale. The 2025 Hypebeast100 win added institutional weight to what began as a niche art-toy story.

Looking ahead

Paris hosts the next Moynat chapter in March 2026, and anniversary exhibitions continue through the same year. Lung’s original notebooks travel with the show, giving visitors a direct line from 2015 sketches to current production. The schedule keeps the character in motion while the core design, nine teeth and all, stays rooted in the folklore that started the run.

The original Labubu unveiled

At its core, the Labubu original remains Kasing Lung’s 2015 creation: a benevolent, toothy elf pulled from Nordic-inspired pages and carried forward by blind-box culture, art-world nods, and expanding screen plans. Updated revenue numbers, auction records, and multi-year collaborations show steady growth without erasing the impish charm that first caught collectors’ eyes.